Boll-weevil trap



T. B. STEVENSON.

4 BOLL WEEYIL TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 7. 1918. v 1,331,946. Patented Feb. l24K, 1920.

2 SHEES-SHEET 4 j/ZZ @ttoznup T. B. STEVENSON.

BOLL wEEvlL TRAP.

4 APPLICATION FlLED OCT-7,1918- 1,331,946. V Patented Feb. 24,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

narran srArsrATENT OFFICE.

, TUItEN BRoWN s'rEvENsoN, or MCRAE, GEORGIA.

BOLL-wnnvir. TRAP. n Y

v Application filed October 7, 1918. Serial No.257,208. i

To all whom it' may concern:

Be it known that I, TUREN BROWN S'rnvnia-y soN, a citizen of the United States, Vresiding at McRae, in the `county ofTelfair and State of Georgia, have invented-a new and usefulBoll-Veevil Trap, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to boll weevil traps, one of its objects being to provide a machine adapted to straddle two rows ofcotton plants, there being means coperating with the plants of each row .for knocking the insects and the lperforated squares from the plants and into a receiver containing an inflaminablefluid or other insect destroying means. v

Another object is to provide means under the constant control of the driver whereby the plant agitating means and the insect re-l ceivers can be lifted laterally thus to be held in proper relation to .the rows of plants.

A further object is to provide improved means for mounting the traps on the running gear of the machine.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and `combination of parts which will be more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has beenv shown.

In the drawings z- Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section through the rear portion of one of the traps.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the plant spreaders.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates an arched axle having supporting wheels 2 and secured on this axle U-bolts 3 or the like are hounds 3 secured at their forward ends to cross beams 4 from which extends a draft tongue 5. A spring strip 6 is secured to one of the beams 4 and bears on the axle 1 from which it extendsy upwardly and rearwardly so as to support a seat 7.

Arranged under the arched axle 1 at each side of the center thereof is a trap adapted 'j Specification of Letters VPatent.

Patenten Feb. 2 4, 17920.,

to straddle and to travel along one row of cotton plantsl and' as both traps are of the same construction, a description of one will apply to both.. r

Eachtrap comprises two pans each spaced apart along their inner walls so as to receive plants between them, the inner walls diverging forwardly at their front ends as indicated at 9, thus to, constitute gathering means; A flange extends upwardly' and outwardly from the upper edge of the inner wallV ofy the flange, as shown at 1() and is provided with a covering 11 of rubber o1' othersoft material which will not injure the plant against which it rubs.

Arched supporting strips 12 extend over the central portions of the two pans and the lower endsare inturned as at 13, so as to extend under the .respective pans, said ends 14 under each pan and each bracket being provided with a Set screw 15. Thus it will be seen that the pans can be adjusted toward or from-each other along the inturnedportion 13 and can be held by tighteningthe screws 1.5. Y

Additional strips 16 which are arched, are connected to the outer sides of the two pans and fastened to them is a wire netting 17 or the like which extends over the pans and extends throughout the len h thereof. The trap is open at its front en `but its rear end is partly closed by segmental curtains 18 the lower edges of which can be fastened in any manner desired to the rear walls of the pans 8. i

Hangers 19 are connected to the central portions of the bands or strips 12 of the two traps, each of these -hangers having a hooklike portion 20 at its upper end within which is journaled a grooved wheel 21 resting on the arched axle 1. A foot rest 22 is extended inwardly from the inner side of the rear strip 26 of each trap and is located at a point where it can be conveniently reached and operated from the seat 7.

Brackets 23 are extended inwardly from the upper ortions of the outer sides of the arms 24 yieldingly in predetermined positions, all of the arms extending a short dis-y tance across the spacebetween 'the'iflan'ges 10 of the opposed pans 8.

For the purpose of spreading thepl'ants within the` trap so as fto bring the branches over the""pans 8, y'a'"spea'di'l'ig rod :whichis shown in detail in Fig. 4 isempl'oyed. This rod has a stem 28 fastened to the front portion 'of the top ofk the trap lat the center thereof and extending.rearwardly to rearwardly `diverging arms 29 which overhang 1 the pans 8 and terminate in lingers 30 extending-'laterally 4and attached to 'the sides of the trap 'over vthe rear portions. of the pans. Thus it will be seen that as thermachine moves forwardly with thetwo traps straddlfing the-"respective rows, the plants 'will be" receivedl between the flanges 10 and theM branches "of the plants will be 'spread laterally `so as ,to overhang the pans f8.

While'thuslheld the agitating arms 24 will slipv along the plants and agitate them to such an extent as todislodge the insectsland therperforated squares s o that they will fall into tthe pans 8 and into theliquid contained therein. Co'a'loil or other yfluid can be employed 'as the insecticide. The driver rests his vfeet on the parts 22 and by pullingior pushing on said parts ythe traps can be moved toward vor from each otherso as to remainv in proper relation to the rows. The curtains'18 prevent. anyof `the insects or the perforated squares from 'falling rearwardly out of the trap., The trap can 'be main-V tained in properpo'sitionrelative tothe rimning gear of the machine by providing rods :30' extending fromdthesides of the trap at the. front ends thereof-to one of the cross beams 4:.,

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, is

y n l l. 1."`Ina machine of the class desc'ibedthe combination with af wheel supported arched axle, of hangers mounted for free movement along the' axle, a trap supportedby each hanger, a seatvsuop'orte'dback ofthe axle, and afoot restv upon .the inner side of each trap'for engagement by `theo'ccupalntv of 'they seat'to shift `the traps freely along the axle towardI and from eachother. f

2. In a machine off-the class 'described the combination with a wheel supported 'struc ture andvarched supporting 'meansl carried thereby andhavingL lnturned` ends, ofspace'd TREN BROWN sfrEvnNson.v l Y VVitn'esses:

E. F. MCRAEV A. V. WHDDoW. 

